Let there be ROOF!....and there was roof...

So it's been almost two weeks since my last post and I'm starting to pass myself off as somewhat of a seasoned General Contractor.  I know I have a long way to go, but it I'm feeling a little more sure-footed at this point and actually believe that I CAN do this now.  It seems kinda like snow skiing to me - I've only been skiing for one day, but I've been up and down the slope numerous times, I know how to get on and off the lift without flailing about wildly and making a scene, and at times I actually look like I've done it before.  Even though I still haven't had that full-speed wipeout on the Moguls that makes you see stars (been THERE too!), I've taken a few in the teeth and gotten back up and continued on my merry way.

The project is now at the point where we can look at the result so far and really begin to visualize what it will look like when complete.  The super-structure has been erected from the foundation thru the roof line, which all took just about 3 weeks and the work throughout the time period has been all about the Framing Contractor.  There's been a little bit of my consultant and I overseeing and authorizing decisions, but that's about it.  The picture above shows the view at this point from about a third of the way up the driveway.  

One of the most compelling things to me during this time was the amount of materials, material orders, shipments, trucks, and loading/unloading that's been going on.  About 97% of the materials were previously determined in a "Take Off" (Bill of Materials in my book) prepared by the Material Supplier from the final blueprints long before construction ever began.  I worked with the Supplier to have the "take-off" bundled into several predetermined "packs" that got delivered to the site along the way as the framer made progress, such as the "foundation and 1st Floor Pack", second floor and Attic Pack, and the Roof pack.  If this were someone else's house you might have had a "Wolfpack", but not in MY house!   There were a number of small parts that had to be special ordered and delivered along the way that we couldn't perfectly plan for in the Take-offs, and that's to be expected (estimation is NOT an exact science - that's why it's called an Estimate!).

Rear View - Master BR  and Back Porch area.

Front View from Street - Left Side facing

You can see from the series of pictures below what we have at this point of the Framers nearly being complete.  I'm happy to say, there were only a few minor hiccups throughout this phase where the framer had to tear out one area or another that wasn't done exactly right the first time.  Also, there were a few "alterations" to the original blueprints that also caused a little heartache.  Basically, the crew of Latino carpenters on the framing crew were very good at working according to plan, but there were some minor language-barrier challenges in trying to communicate a few minor "alterations" I wanted done along the way.

We were also blessed with a fairly long stretch of comfortable and DRY weather throughout the two-week span when the framing was going up and I use the word BLESSING very intently there.  I'd hate to try and frame-up during monsoon season.

Before the framers receive their 3rd and final "draw" (that means I write another CHECK) I will do a very detailed walkthrough (so much for the beach trip over Memorial Day weekend~!~) of the completed framing along with Ed (you remember Ed, right?) and come up with a "punch list" of carpentry items that either need completed, tweaking, or repaired before the framers are sent off to their next framing job nearby.  After that, we move on to Plumbing rough-ins, exterior finishing, roofing, windows/doors, HVAC rough-ins, and THEN Brick/Stone.   

Rear view, deck/garage side.